


If Only One Remembers to Turn On a Light

by EscapingArtist



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Auror Harry Potter, Auror Ron Weasley, Bluebell Flame, Dark!Hermione, Department of Mysteries (Harry Potter), Ethically Questionable, Ghosts, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Logical Doesn't Mean Right, Magical Portraits, Not Canon Compliant, One Shot, Unspeakable Hermione Granger
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-16 23:13:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29583573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EscapingArtist/pseuds/EscapingArtist
Summary: What is Hermione working on, way out in her “country estate?” As loyal friends, Ron and Harry go to talk to her first and try to convince her to come clean with the Ministry. But, will it work...this time?
Comments: 11
Kudos: 20





	If Only One Remembers to Turn On a Light

**Author's Note:**

> This Dark!Hermione made its way into my head, and wouldn't leave until I wrote her story. WordsmithMusing helped me shape it and for that I am grateful.
> 
> As always- not my characters

The chime of the doorbell echoed down the long hallway and Hermione looked up from her book with a smile. She got to her feet with a swish of her robes and hurried to let her visitors in. “Ron! Harry!” she said, embracing them both before beckoning them in “It is nasty weather, come inside! Come inside!” 

“Thanks Mione” Ron said gratefully, dripping onto the floor of the entryway while Hermione fussed around him with some drying charms. “Why don’t you have your Floo hooked up? Would’ve saved us time and trouble.”

Hermione waved her hand impatiently “I got this place for privacy Ronald. If someone treks all this way out to see me, well, I know they must really want to.” She winked at Harry and helped him cast a few drying charms as well. “I’m glad you’re here though! What do you think of the place?”

Harry and Ron looked around at the dark paneling and soaring ceilings. “It’s...really different then your flat in London.” Harry said diplomatically, thinking of the bright, modern place that Hermione called home during the week.

Hermione giggled “Those deportment lessons the Ministry is forcing on you are paying off Harry, a politician couldn’t have said it better.”

“Bloody hell” Ron’s voice was a mix of awe and slight distaste “I’ll be honest with you Mione, this place kinda gives me the creeps.” His voice dropped and he looked around, like he was afraid of being overheard “And, well, isn’t it the Lestrange’s old place?”

Hermione nodded, eyes twinkling as she gazed around. “It is. I thought there was a bit of...poetic justice if I bought it. Bill came out and gave it a once over, to make sure there was nothing too dangerous about, and I’m giving it my own touches as I go. For now it is just my weekend place but, we’ll see.” She beckoned them to follow her down the hall. “I’ve still got to decide on a name. If you have any suggestions let me know.” 

Ron and Harry exchanged a look as they followed Hermione down the hall. Harry couldn’t help but wrap his hand around his wand and Ron’s eyes darted nervously around. “Harry” Ron said in a worried voice. But Harry shook his head and hurried after Hermione.

She led them into a parlor that was steeped in deep reds and gold accents “See, here is a bit of Gryffindor cheer for you.” she told them with a laugh, and sank down into a chair.

“Sure” Ron said with a sickly grin “Bit more of a blood red than I’m used to, but it brightens it up a bit.” Hermione rolled her eyes and busied herself with putting tea together. 

Harry was wondering around the room and he stopped at a pair of portraits over the fireplace. “Mione” he said curiously “Is this...Walburga?” 

Hermione leaned back with a very satisfied grin on her face “Yes it is.” 

“But, I thought you were going to...I don’t know...put her back in the vault or something. After you finally got her off the wall. Um, why isn’t she yelling?”

Hermione stood up and went to join Harry at the portrait. “Oh, after I got her down for you I wanted to try out a little something that I had been thinking of. She reached out and tapped the face of the portrait. The women in it squirmed and clearly looked agitated, but when Harry peered closer he saw she had no mouth anymore. “Paint thinner.” Hermione’s voice made Harry jump and he stared wide-eyed at the witch beside him. “I wondered if I took off the paint around the mouth, if it would prevent the portrait from talking” she smirked “I was right.”

“But why keep her?” Ron said around a mouthful of biscuits. 

“Petty revenge” Hermione said airly as she made her way back to her chair “She has to sit here and watch me be Lady of the Manor in what used to be a pureblood estate and she can’t say a damn thing about it.” 

Harry’s eyes widened further as he took in the portrait next to Walburga “Dumbledore?” he swallowed hard and thought he might be sick. The old wizard was asleep in his chair but Harry could see he also had no mouth.

“I have had a lot of time to think over the last few years” Hermione said, stirring her tea with almost vicious intensity “And for all his greatness and magical skill he still played everyone around him like chess pieces.” Hermione nodded to Ron “With none of the self sacrifice that you showed our first year” He blushed a little and smiled at her. 

“But” Harry rubbed his neck and Hermione smiled kindly at him.

“I know, it’s confusing.” she said soothingly “I just, I needed to have proof that he can’t be in control of us anymore. That he isn’t going to hurt us anymore.” Harry glanced between Hermione and the portrait but didn’t say anything else. “Now” Hermione said, in a more business like tone “Your owl was a bit vague. It said you needed to see me and that it was sort of professional and sort of personal?”

“Uh, yeah.” Harry came back to the couches and sat down, lacing his fingers together. “Look, Mione, we’ve been friends for years now. You know we care about you and just think you are absolutely brilliant.” She raised an eyebrow and motioned for him to get to the point. “So, when your Department came to us and wanted to do...ah...do a small audit of your work we asked for a chance to approach you first.”

“An, audit of my work?”

“Yeah” Ron jumped in “See. Well, they had this thought that maybe you were going, um, outside of your official scope of investigation see and wanted us to clear up whether that was true.”

“Ronald” Hermione said patiently “Do you know what my official scope of investigation actually is?”

“Well, it’s like ghosts and stuff.” He said with a shrug and Harry winced slightly.

“Sure.” Hermione said “Ghosts and stuff. I guess that is technically true.” She put her cup down and wrapped her hands around her knee. “So” she said, her voice taking on that familiar lecturing tone. “I study the imprint of the soul of a once living witch or wizard that is left on this earth when they choose not to follow death completely across the veil.” Ron and Harry exchanged a look and she sighed “That is the technical definition of a ghost. Only witches and wizards can become ghosts and what we know about the way they come to be, their impact on the living world etc. is all very limited. So, I study them and figure out how they can be used to help the Wizarding world.”

“Wait, use them? But Mione, they are people” Harry interjected.

Hermione raised a finger “Were people Harry” she corrected “The Ministry does not classify ghosts as sentient beings and their limited abilities, and lack of a distinct magical signature backs that up.”

“So, you, what. Experiment on them?”

“Harry, honestly, you make me sound like Dr. Frankenstein” Hermione said with disgust “I study the impact that these magical imprints have on the world and I try to lessen the impact. Do you even know what ectoplasm does to a historical structure? Or the impact all of these vague magical imprints have on our accessible magic?” She wrinkled her nose. “If these witches and wizards insist on sticking around, because frankly most of them were just too cowardly to cross over, then the least they can do is be of some use!” 

Hermione got up and started pacing, gesturing excitedly with her hands “I’ve gotten a much better idea of the limitations of the imprint and have some ideas for how ectoplasm might be used in conjuring.” She shook her head “But oddly enough the idea that is proving the most fruitful is one I came up with first year.”

Ron’s mouth dropped open and Harry shifted uncomfortably “Oh” he said, forcing himself to keep his voice casual “What is that?”

“Bluebell flames” she said with a satisfied smile 

“The little flame thing you would keep in a jar?” Ron interjected “What’s that got to do with ghosts?”

“Everything” Hermione said excitedly “I had been experimenting with the flames and then Nearly Headless Nick went by and the flame turned bright blue. That didn’t make any sense so I went to Professor Binns to ask him about it.” She put her hands on her hips and turned towards Ron and Harry. “It was the imprint that did it!” she said triumphantly.

Harry and Ron exchanged a look “I don’t understand” Harry finally said and Hermione huffed.

“When an imprint is near a flame it turns blue!” she said in exasperation. “The bluebell fire, it gave out heat but it didn’t burn when you touched it, remember?” They both nodded “Something about the imprint of the soul makes it blue AND cool to the touch while still giving off heat.” She strode over to the cupboard and pulled out a few ornate lanterns and a familiar looking jam jar. Touching her wand to it they watched the flame slowly curl to life inside the lantern. 

Harry gingerly picked up one of the jars and looked at it. “Wait, are you saying that there are gh… I mean imprints nearby? Is that why the flame is blue?”

“Not nearby Harry, IN here.” Hermione indicated the jar and Harry set it down quickly. 

“There is a ghost in their Mione!” Ron sounded horrified “Bloody hell, that’s terrifying.”

Hermione picked up one of the jars, looking in satisfaction at the steady flame. “Oh Ron” she sighed “All I did was harvest an unwanted imprint and look, now there is a steady source of heat and light. Do you know what this could do for witches and wizards all over?” 

“So, like some sort of ghostbusters thing?” Harry asked and Hermione snorted.

“Not exactly Harry. That was fiction and the extent of the paranormal was really outside the realm of possibility. This is merely the imprint…”

“Yes, the magical imprint. I know. Just trying to wrap my head around it” Harry interrupted. 

“Um, so Mione” Ron said timidly “Maybe this is what the Department was meaning. I mean, maybe it is going a little far to be...uh...harvesting imprints? Maybe you should dial it back a little?”

Hermione shook her head at Ron and gave him an indulgent smile. “Ron, you know I’m an Unspeakable. Believe me when I tell you that this is EXACTLY within the line of work that I was hired to do. In fact, Murdoch was incredibly pleased by my latest findings about the difference in clarity between the imprint of a former Pureblood and Muggleborn.” She picked up a particularly bright light and giggled slightly “Beautifully ironic that Purebloods do indeed give out the purest steadiest light isn’t it?” Ron twitched nervously and Harry could only manage a half smile. 

“No” she continued thoughtfully, setting down the lantern. “I don’t think that he would have come to you about that. Surely there must have been more information?” She looked at them expectantly, like a professor waiting for their answer.

Harry shifted slightly, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. “Mione you are sure that this is well within your purview as an Unspeakable?” She nodded and he wrinkled his forehead “Murdoch didn’t give us much. Just wanted us to talk to see if you had expanded your scope beyond what was a reasonable expectation.” He glanced around again. “You haven’t been, uh, harvesting imprints anywhere that people would be unhappy about? I mean, I know Gryffindors would be pretty sad to lose Nick.” 

“All paperwork stamped and in order for imprint collecting. Cross my heart” Hermione answered. 

“Mione” Ron burst out “You are acting like this is a NEWT examination. You do realize that we are here because we convinced them not to send other Aurors after you aren’t you? Can you just be straight with us?”

Hermione sighed, looking almost disappointed. “Well, I just don’t know for certain” she said thoughtfully “I mean, all of this is well within my research plan. Now, if my work on living souls ever reliably pans out that would be something that would need to go before the Wizengamot for review, of course.” She glanced over at a weakly flickering jar and extinguished it with a tap of her wand “But, that is certainly not happening any time soon.”

Harry sat up, looking at her sharply “Hang on a second, living souls? What are you saying Mione. That you want to, trap living souls in jars. What, like forever?”

“Forever? Goodness Harry that’s a bit dramatic don’t you think? Everyone dies and most Magicals choose to cross over.” She smiled fondly at him “But think of all those lifers in Azkaban. They take up so many resources. What if their debt to society could be paid in a more practical way?”

Ron and Harry looked at each other in horror “Let me get this straight” Harry said carefully “You are experimenting with how to trap living souls inside a jar? Mione that is, that is, unspeakable!”

“Pun intended” Hermione murmured, before fixing Harry with a sharp glance “You didn’t seem to mind so much when it was Rita Skeeter in your fourth year.” Harry’s mouth opened and closed a couple of times as he tried to come up with a response.

“Mione” Ron used his most soothing and placating tone “Let’s go back to the Ministry and get this all sorted. There must have been some wires crossed with what you thought you were able to do and what the Department really wanted. I think if we just go back and get it all straightened out we can fix it.”

Hermione sighed “Clearly I still need to work on my sales pitch.” she shrugged and glanced at Harry and Ron “Still, I’m impressed, you got to the solution much faster and with only minimal guidance. Coming out here to talk to me instead of cornering me at the pub after drinks was really a step up.” She smiled at them in turn “it's a great improvement over the last time.”

“Hang on” Ron said in alarm “Last time?”

But before either of them could move, Hermione had pulled her wand with a fluid motion “Obliviate.” 

Hermione pulled out her ledger, logging the date and time and how long it had taken the boys to figure it all out before giving them warm smiles. "I really am so glad you boys stopped by to check on me. Its a shame you have to hurry back to the ministry for that meeting. We should get together for dinner next week."

Both boys blinked owlishly at her before smiling as they stood with her. "Yes, of course" replied Harry.

"I love dinner" agreed Ron as Hermione guided them both back towards the front door.

"Perfect" smiled Hermione "see you next week." She watched them both walk down the lane, waving as they crossed the gate before apparating away. "Now were we?" She murmured heading back down the hall. "Oh yes, Mrs. Dawlish" she said rubbing a lantern gleefully. "Such a beautiful bright light."


End file.
